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"COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis" 22nd Sep 2021

One Minute Overview

John Nkengasong, of the Africa C.D.C., Will Lead PEPFAR - The Biden administration plans to nominate John Nkengasong, a virologist and director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to lead the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, according to several sources familiar with the matter. President Biden is expected to make the announcement in the coming days. PEPFAR is a $7 billion operation that funds and sets goals for AIDS care in many nations, most of them in Africa. Dr. Nkengasong, who was born in Cameroon, is the first person of African origin to head the program, which is housed in the Department of State.

U.S. to donate an additional 500 mln COVID-19 vaccines to the world - The United States plans to donate an additional 500 million COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE to nations around the world, lifting the total the country is sharing to more than 1 billion doses, according to a source familiar with the plans.

The Covid-19 Pandemic Put Many Pregnancy Plans on Hold. Some Women Aren’t Waiting Anymore - On a Thursday morning in May, Kristyn Hodgdon entered a doctor’s office and laid eyes on the nitrogen tank containing the embryos that might one day become her babies. Pandemic restrictions in her Long Island town were easing at the time and vaccination rates were climbing. But at that moment, the 32-year-old still wasn’t ready. She decided to postpone trying for her third baby. “I had been working from home with my two toddlers for about a year with no child care,” Mrs. Hodgdon said of her decision. “It just felt like a mental overload that I couldn’t put myself through.”

Poland recommends COVID-19 booster shot for people over 50 - Poland will recommend a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for people over 50 as well as healthcare workers, a deputy health minister said on Tuesday. Waldemar Kraska said the booster would be administered at least 6 months after the second shot. A third dose was already recommended earlier for the immuno-compromised.

Calls grow among experts in Singapore for a vaccine mandate as COVID-19 spikes - Some health experts in Singapore are calling for mandatory vaccination against the coronavirus with a growing toll of severe COVID-19 among unvaccinated people as infections surge and with vaccine take-up plateauing at 82% of the population. The government has linked reopening to vaccination targets but it paused the easing of restrictions this month to watch for signs that severe infections could overwhelm the health system. 

Romania could offer third Covid-19 vaccine dose from next week - Romania could start offering a third COVID-19 vaccine dose to medical staff and at-risk people as early as next week as the number of new daily cases was rising sharply, the head of the national vaccination committee said on Tuesday.

Britain's daily Covid cases rise again by nearly a fifth in a week and deaths climb 10% - Department of Health bosses posted 31,564 new coronavirus infections today, up 18.5 per cent on last week. The number of people dying within 28 days of testing positive for the virus increased 9.7 per cent to 203. But Covid hospital admissions are continuing to fall — with 861 new patients recorded last Thursday

Germans shocked by killing of cashier after COVID mask row - German politicians expressed shock on Tuesday over the killing of a 20-year old petrol station worker after an argument about a face mask and said that coronavirus deniers who are willing to use violence will not be tolerated. The killing on Saturday evening in the western town of Idar-Oberstein has hit the national headlines as it is one of the only such cases linked to COVID-19 restrictions.

China keeps virus at bay at high cost ahead of Olympics - The Beizhong International Travel Agency in the eastern city of Tianjin has had only one customer since coronavirus outbreaks that began in July prompted Chinese leaders to renew city lockdowns and travel controls. Most of China is virus-free, but the abrupt, severe response to outbreaks has left would-be tourists jittery about traveling to places they might be barred from leaving. That has hit consumer spending, hindering efforts to keep the economic recovery on track. China’s “zero tolerance” strategy of trying to isolate every case and stop transmission has helped keep the country where the virus first was detected in late 2019 largely free of disease. But the public and businesses are paying a steep price.

Brazil and Argentina tapped to make mRNA vaccines in Latin America - The Pan American Health Organization has selected two biomedical centers in Argentina and Brazil as regional hubs to develop and produce mRNA-based vaccines to fight COVID-19 in Latin America, the regional health agency said on Tuesday. The idea is to tap existing manufacturing capacities to help transfer vaccine technology developed by Moderna in the United States to a region badly hit by the coronavirus and still without access to enough vaccines.

Trials begin on new vaccine to fight Covid-19 variants - Trials are under way in Manchester of a new jab to fight Covid-19 variants in the hope it can offer longer-lasting immunity than current vaccines. Initially involving participants aged 60 and over, its creators hope the new drug – GRT-R910 – can boost the immune response of first-generation Covid-19 vaccines to a wide array of variants of Sars-Cov-2, which cause Covid-19. First to receive the trial jabs were retired NHS nurse Helen Clarke, 64, and her husband Andrew, 63, from Bolton, Greater Manchester. Mrs Clarke said: “I used to work in the NHS and had been involved in research as a nurse in the past.

Johnson & Johnson Says Its Booster Shot Provides Increased Protection From COVID-19 - People who receive a Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine booster shot are better protected against the coronavirus for a longer period of time, according to the pharmaceutical company's latest trial results. The one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been found to be 66% protective against moderate and severe disease overall worldwide and 72% protective against such cases in the U.S. But when a person receives a booster shot two months after getting the pharmaceutical company's one-dose vaccine, the protection against COVID-19 increased to 94%. A booster shot at six months provided a 12-fold increase in antibodies.

Covid-19: NI health service 'will topple over' without action - Northern Ireland's health service is 'about to topple over' if immediate action is not taken, the deputy first minister has said. Michelle O'Neill said staff were 'facing into a very difficult winter' under current pressures. She met staff at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast on Tuesday along with First Minister Paul Givan. They both said they wanted to avoid any further lockdowns or 'circuit breakers'.

Victoria's construction industry has been linked to 403 Covid-19 cases prompting shut down - Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has shut down the state's construction industry after it was revealed 403 Covid-19 cases have been linked to the sector. There are now 300,000 tradies out of work for two weeks following the shut down announced late on Monday night with hundreds taking to the streets of Melbourne to protest outside construction union CFMEU's office. The state's health minister Martin Foley said that the hundreds of cases found within the industry have been recorded across 186 construction sites. 

Ukraine tightens COVID-19 lockdown restrictions from Sept 23 - A Ukrainian government commission decided on Tuesday to tighten coronavirus lockdown restrictions from Sept. 23 as the number of new infections has increased sharply, Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said. Ukraine lifted lockdown restrictions as cases dropped over the summer but has now imposed a nationwide 'yellow' code which restricts mass events and limits the occupancy rates of gyms, cinemas and other culture venues.

Lockdown Exit
John Nkengasong, of the Africa C.D.C., Will Lead PEPFAR
The Biden administration plans to nominate John Nkengasong, a virologist and director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to lead the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, according to several sources familiar with the matter. President Biden is expected to make the announcement in the coming days. PEPFAR is a $7 billion operation that funds and sets goals for AIDS care in many nations, most of them in Africa. Dr. Nkengasong, who was born in Cameroon, is the first person of African origin to head the program, which is housed in the Department of State.
Opinion | I Ran the CDC. Here’s How to Prove That Americans Are Vaccinated.
This month, President Biden announced a comprehensive plan to reinvigorate America’s fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. A big part of this plan hinges on mandating the vaccination of millions of federal workers. Employees of companies with more than 100 staff members will have to provide proof of vaccination or test negative for the coronavirus at least once a week. The businesses and other institutions that must enforce these mandates will have to verify vaccination status and test results to make this system work. Even before the plan was announced, a number of state and local governments and school districts and more than 1,000 colleges and universities adopted at least some vaccination requirements for employees and students. But without a unified approach to verify compliance, ideally through federal leadership, verification will be inaccurate, inconsistent and potentially insecure.
The Covid-19 Pandemic Put Many Pregnancy Plans on Hold. Some Women Aren’t Waiting Anymore.
On a Thursday morning in May, Kristyn Hodgdon entered a doctor’s office and laid eyes on the nitrogen tank containing the embryos that might one day become her babies. Pandemic restrictions in her Long Island town were easing at the time and vaccination rates were climbing. But at that moment, the 32-year-old still wasn’t ready. She decided to postpone trying for her third baby. “I had been working from home with my two toddlers for about a year with no child care,” Mrs. Hodgdon said of her decision. “It just felt like a mental overload that I couldn’t put myself through.”
U.S. Pledge to Vaccinate Poor Countries Stumbles Amid Logistical Challenges
A White House plan to donate hundreds of millions of doses of Covid-19 vaccines has been hampered in many developing countries by a lack of infrastructure to handle storage and distribution, leaving poorer nations far behind the developed world in vaccination rates. After a delayed start—the U.S. missed its first donation target—the Biden administration has been ramping up overseas donations, shipping around 137 million doses, most of them Moderna Inc. and Johnson & Johnson. It expects to send 500 million doses of a shot developed by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE by the end of June 2022, the largest donation total of any country.
Argentine Economy Shrank in Second Quarter Amid Worst Covid Wave
Argentina’s economy contracted in the second quarter as the country’s worst wave of the pandemic reduced activity and government trade restrictions cooled relations with the private sector. Gross domestic product fell 1.4% in the second quarter compared to the previous period, compared with economists’ expectations of a 1.6% decline. From a year ago, GDP rose 17.9% as a result of the base effect from the beginning of the pandemic in Argentina, according to government data published Tuesday
U.S. to donate an additional 500 mln COVID-19 vaccines to the world
The United States plans to donate an additional 500 million COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE to nations around the world, lifting the total the country is sharing to more than 1 billion doses, according to a source familiar with the plans.
Covid: US opens up to fully vaccinated travellers
The US is easing its coronavirus travel restrictions, reopening to passengers from the UK, EU and other nations. From November, foreign travellers will be allowed to fly into the US if they are fully vaccinated, and undergo testing and contact tracing. The US has had tough restrictions on travel in place since early last year. The move answers a major demand from European allies, and means that families and friends separated by the restrictions can be reunited.
Exit Strategies
COVID creates shortages of an array of U.S. medical supplies
Shortages of masks and gloves that marked the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic have spread to a host of other items needed at medical facilities in the United States, from exam tables and heart defibrillators to crutches and IV poles. It can now take up to five months to get some types of exam tables, for instance, compared to three to six weeks before the pandemic, according to CME Corp, a distributor of medical equipment that handles over 2 million products.
U.S. retail industry seeks 90-day lead time on COVID-19 rules
Two major U.S. retail industry groups on Tuesday asked the Biden administration for at least 90 days before imposing new rules that will require employees at larger firms to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to regular testing. On Sept. 9, the White House said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is developing an emergency temporary standard that will require all employers with 100 or more employees to ensure their workforce is fully vaccinated, or require any workers who remain unvaccinated to produce a negative COVID-19 test once a week.
Britain's daily Covid cases rise again by nearly a fifth in a week and deaths climb 10%
Department of Health bosses posted 31,564 new coronavirus infections today, up 18.5 per cent on last week. The number of people dying within 28 days of testing positive for the virus increased 9.7 per cent to 203. But Covid hospital admissions are continuing to fall — with 861 new patients recorded last Thursday
Romania could offer third Covid-19 vaccine dose from next week
Romania could start offering a third COVID-19 vaccine dose to medical staff and at-risk people as early as next week as the number of new daily cases was rising sharply, the head of the national vaccination committee said on Tuesday.
Thai campaign to vaccinate schoolchildren makes progress
Health officials in the Thai capital made headway Tuesday in their effort to vaccinate children against the coronavirus, giving shots of the Pfizer vaccine to students aged 12 to 18 with underlying diseases. Vaccinations for that age bracket were first offered last month through hospitals, but now are arranged by schools. A separate campaign by a medical research institute on Monday began inoculating children aged 10 to 18 with China’s Sinopharm vaccine. On Tuesday, 1,500 students received shots of the Pfizer vaccine, 800 for the first time and 700 as a follow-up to their first shot in August.
DC school, childcare workers must get covid vaccine, no test option
D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) said Monday that all teachers and school staff and early child-care workers in the District must be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus by Nov. 1, eliminating a testing option for these professionals who regularly interact with children who are often too young to be vaccinated. The mayor’s initial vaccine requirement — which included a testing option — did not apply to public charter or private school workers nor day-care employees. But this stricter mandate applies to these nongovernment employees.
Argentina loosens COVID-19 restrictions, will ease open borders
Argentina on Tuesday unveiled plans to ease coronavirus pandemic restrictions, including loosening strict border controls, allowing more commercial activities and getting rid of the mandatory wearing of face masks outdoors. Health Minister Carla Vizzotti said the easing of rules would allow more economic, industrial and commercial activities in closed places, while borders would gradually reopen from this month, with all tourists allowed back in from November.
India calls new UK COVID-19 vaccine rules 'discriminatory'
ndia on Tuesday criticized the British government’s decision not to recognize coronavirus vaccine certificates issued by Indian authorities, calling it a "discriminatory policy” that will impact its citizens who want to travel to that country. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said the new rules unveiled last week, which take effect next month, could force India to “impose More than half of companies in the U.S. are planning to impose COVID-19 vaccine mandates on their employees by the end of the year, a new survey finds. Researchers from Willis Towers Watson, a British multinational risk management, insurance brokerage and advisory company, polled nearly 1,000 companies who employ around 9.7 million people. They found that by the fourth quarter of 2021, 52 percent of employers are planning or could have one or more vaccine mandate requirements
More than HALF of companies are planning to impose COVID-19 vaccine mandates
Willis Towers Watson, a risk management and advisory company, surveyed nearly 1,000 U.S. companies employing 9.7 million workers. More than half, 52%, said they are planning to impose Covid vaccine mandates on their employees by the end of the year. Nearly one-third are planning or considering making vaccines a requirement to enter the workplace and 21% are considering the shots for all new hires Of companies tracking vaccination status 62% require workers to submit proof and 36% count on workers to self-report
Calls grow among experts in Singapore for a vaccine mandate as COVID-19 spikes
Some health experts in Singapore are calling for mandatory vaccination against the coronavirus with a growing toll of severe COVID-19 among unvaccinated people as infections surge and with vaccine take-up plateauing at 82% of the population. The government has linked reopening to vaccination targets but it paused the easing of restrictions this month to watch for signs that severe infections could overwhelm the health system.
India says it will resume Covid-19 vaccine exports next month
India will resume exports of Covid-19 vaccines in the October quarter, prioritizing the global vaccine-sharing platform COVAX and neighboring countries first as supplies rise, the country's health minister said on Monday. India, the world's biggest maker of vaccines, stopped exports of Covid shots in April to focus on inoculating its own population as infections exploded. The country's monthly vaccine output has since more than doubled and is set to quadruple to over 300 million doses next month, minister Mansukh Mandaviya said, adding that only excess supplies would be exported. Total production could top 1 billion in the last three months of the year as new vaccines from companies such as Biological E are likely to be approved, he added.
Poland recommends COVID-19 booster shot for people over 50
Poland will recommend a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for people over 50 as well as healthcare workers, a deputy health minister said on Tuesday. Waldemar Kraska said the booster would be administered at least 6 months after the second shot. A third dose was already recommended earlier for the immuno-compromised.
Covid-19: Vaccinated school pupil 'excited' to be near grandparents
One of the first pupils in England to receive a Covid-19 vaccination in the rollout to under-16s said he was "excited" that he could now spend time with his grandparents. All children aged 12-15 across the UK are to be offered one dose of a Covid vaccine. Quinn, 15, was given a Pfizer vaccination at Belfairs Academy in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. He said: "I was nervous at first but in the long run it's going to be good." Quinn said he wanted the vaccine because "I can keep safe near my family and with my grandparents".
India asks UK to revise COVID quarantine rules, warns retaliation
India’s foreign minister has urged the United Kingdom for an “early resolution of quarantine issue” in the wake of a new British rule requiring Indians visiting there to quarantine even if they are fully vaccinated. England and Scotland will ease pandemic restrictions from early October, but the list of countries with approved vaccines does not include India, despite the country using a locally made version of the AstraZeneca vaccine developed in the UK.
Partisan Exits
Colleges struggling with Covid-19 in Republican states where up to 40% students unvaxxed
School leaders in Arizona, Florida, Tennessee and Texas are battling lawmakers Governors are banning colleges from implementing vaccine mandates Meanwhile schools in states like Maryland and NY have high vaccine rates Colleges fear not just for student health but also for their balance sheets
New Zealand increases fines for COVID-19 rule breakers
New Zealand on Friday announced higher fines of up to NZ$12,000 ($8,400) for individuals breaching coronavirus restrictions amid concerns that the current outbreak may spread beyond Auckland to other regions due to people breaking rules. "Our success has been really based on the fact that people by and large have been compliant," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told a news conference.
Germans shocked by killing of cashier after COVID mask row
German politicians expressed shock on Tuesday over the killing of a 20-year old petrol station worker after an argument about a face mask and said that coronavirus deniers who are willing to use violence will not be tolerated. The killing on Saturday evening in the western town of Idar-Oberstein has hit the national headlines as it is one of the only such cases linked to COVID-19 restrictions.
Melbourne police fire pepper balls, pellets to break up COVID-19 protest
Police in Melbourne fired pepper balls and rubber pellets on Tuesday to disperse about 2,000 protesters who defied stay-at- home orders to damage property, block a busy freeway and injure three officers, leading to more than 60 arrests. It was the second day of demonstrations in the locked-down Australian city after authorities shut construction sites for two weeks, saying workers' frequent movement was spreading the coronavirus.
Anti-vaccine violence prompts Melbourne building site shutdown
Australian authorities have shut down construction sites in Melbourne for two weeks after an anti-vaccine protest in the city turned violent and COVID-19 cases in the states of Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) surged. The closure takes effect from Tuesday and follows clashes in which bottles and a crate were thrown at union officials, and police deployed special units.
Continued Lockdown
China keeps virus at bay at high cost ahead of Olympics
The Beizhong International Travel Agency in the eastern city of Tianjin has had only one customer since coronavirus outbreaks that began in July prompted Chinese leaders to renew city lockdowns and travel controls. Most of China is virus-free, but the abrupt, severe response to outbreaks has left would-be tourists jittery about traveling to places they might be barred from leaving. That has hit consumer spending, hindering efforts to keep the economic recovery on track. China’s “zero tolerance” strategy of trying to isolate every case and stop transmission has helped keep the country where the virus first was detected in late 2019 largely free of disease. But the public and businesses are paying a steep price.
Scientific Viewpoint
J&J Says Covid-19 Vaccine Booster Two Months After First Shot Increases Protection
Johnson & Johnson said a booster dose of its Covid-19 vaccine administered two months after the first shot increased protection against symptomatic illness in trial participants, as federal regulators evaluate data for the country’s strategy for rolling out boosters. Data released Tuesday from a late-stage clinical trial showed that study participants in 10 countries including the U.S. who received a second dose of the company’s vaccine two months after the first had 75% protection against symptomatic Covid-19. Participants in the U.S. had 94% protection against the illness. J&J didn’t explain the reason for the difference in efficacy rates.
J&J says second shot boosts protection for moderate-severe COVID-19 to 94%
Johnson & Johnson said Tuesday a second shot of its COVID-19 vaccine given about two months after the first increased its effectiveness to 94% in the United States against moderate to severe forms of the disease.
Johnson & Johnson Says Its Booster Shot Provides Increased Protection From COVID-19
People who receive a Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine booster shot are better protected against the coronavirus for a longer period of time, according to the pharmaceutical company's latest trial results. The one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been found to be 66% protective against moderate and severe disease overall worldwide and 72% protective against such cases in the U.S. But when a person receives a booster shot two months after getting the pharmaceutical company's one-dose vaccine, the protection against COVID-19 increased to 94%. A booster shot at six months provided a 12-fold increase in antibodies.
Covid-19: Monoclonal antibody treatment to be rolled out to hospital patients with no antibody response
Eligible patients with covid-19 in UK hospitals who have not mounted an antibody response against SARS-CoV-2 will be offered the monoclonal antibody treatment ronapreve from this week, the government has announced. The drug is a combination of two monoclonal antibodies (casirivimab and imdevimab), which work by binding to two different sites on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and neutralising the virus’s ability to infect cells. It was the first neutralising antibody drug specifically designed to treat covid-19 approved by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (in August 2021). Ronapreve will be administered to patients without antibodies—who must be either aged 50 or over, or aged 12 to 49 and considered to be immunocompromised—through a drip. The government said it had secured enough supply for NHS patients across the four nations and that antibody testing will be used to determine which patients are eligible.
Trials begin on new vaccine to fight Covid-19 variants
Trials are under way in Manchester of a new jab to fight Covid-19 variants in the hope it can offer longer-lasting immunity than current vaccines. Initially involving participants aged 60 and over, its creators hope the new drug – GRT-R910 – can boost the immune response of first-generation Covid-19 vaccines to a wide array of variants of Sars-Cov-2, which cause Covid-19. First to receive the trial jabs were retired NHS nurse Helen Clarke, 64, and her husband Andrew, 63, from Bolton, Greater Manchester. Mrs Clarke said: “I used to work in the NHS and had been involved in research as a nurse in the past.
Covid-19: How is vaccination affecting hospital admissions and deaths?
An analysis of UK data from the National Immunisation Management Service (NIMS) and the Coronavirus Clinical Information Network (CO-CIN),1 endorsed by the UK Scientific and Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE),2 shows that of 40 000 patients with covid-19 who were admitted to hospital between December 2020 and July 2021 a total of 33 496 (84%) had not been vaccinated. It found that 5198 (13%) of these patients had received their first vaccine and 1274 (3%) their second. A total of 611 patients with previous covid-19 (reinfection) were not included in the analysis.
HSJ Patient Safety Awards 2021: Covid-19 Infection Prevention and Control Award
Northern Care Alliance Group: Covid-19 Rapid Antigen Testing Using LFDs in Emergency Departments to Aid Infection Prevention & Control – Northern Care Alliance at the Vanguard. During the second wave of the pandemic, demand for PCR testing exceeded capacity and adversely affected patient management. At that time (November 2020), UK policy did not support deployment of lateral flow devices for covid. Northern Care Alliance NHS Group introduced LFD for patients needing admission through emergency departments. An LFD (SD Biosensor) was introduced in the ED by pathology. Significant improvement in patient flow and reduction in nosocomial transmissions was a testimony to its clinical utility. The alliance presented at the National Virology Cell meeting and by late December 2020, the government launched its use for all ED admissions.
Brazil and Argentina tapped to make mRNA vaccines in Latin America
The Pan American Health Organization has selected two biomedical centers in Argentina and Brazil as regional hubs to develop and produce mRNA-based vaccines to fight COVID-19 in Latin America, the regional health agency said on Tuesday. The idea is to tap existing manufacturing capacities to help transfer vaccine technology developed by Moderna in the United States to a region badly hit by the coronavirus and still without access to enough vaccines.
J&J: Booster dose of its COVID shot prompts strong response
J&J said in statement that an extra dose — given either two months or six months after the initial shot — revved up protection. The results haven’t yet been published or vetted by other scientists. The J&J vaccine was considered an important tool in fighting the pandemic because it requires only one shot. But even as rollout began in the U.S. and elsewhere, the company already was running a global test of whether a two-dose course might be more effective — the second dose given 56 days after the first. That two-dose approach was 75% effective globally at preventing moderate to severe COVID-19, and 95% effective in the U.S. alone, the company reported — a difference likely due to which variants were circulating in different countries during the months long study.
Coronavirus Resurgence
Major Idaho Hospital System Says 70% of ICU Patients Have Covid
An unprecedented 70% of intensive care unit patients have Covid-19 at a hospital network in Idaho, a state where vaccination rates are low, medical care is being rationed and virus hospitalizations are setting records. The Covid-19 ICU mortality rate is up to 43% at St. Luke’s health system, higher than the prior peak, and 98% of ICU patients suffering the deadly malady are unvaccinated, James Souza, chief physician executive of the statewide network of six hospitals, told an online news briefing.
Vietnam's total confirmed COVID-19 cases surpass 700,000
Vietnam reported 11,692 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, including 11,687 locally transmitted and five imported, according to the country's Ministry of Health. The new infections brought the country's total tally to 707,436, with 17,545 deaths, the ministry said. Most of the community cases were detected in southern localities, including 6,521 in the epicenter Ho Chi Minh City, 3,609 in the nearby Binh Duong province, and 590 in Dong Nai province. As many as 475,343 COVID-19 patients have so far recovered, up 11,017 from Monday, while over 35 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered nationwide, according to the ministry. As of Tuesday, Vietnam has registered a total of 702,972 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases since the start of the current wave in late April, the ministry said.
Nearly 226,000 Covid-19 cases were reported in children last week, pediatrician group says
Covid-19 infections have continued to increase "exponentially" among children across the US, and now account for nearly 26% of all cases reported nationwide, according to data published Monday. Over the past week, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported the second highest total of new diagnoses among children over the course of the pandemic, with 225,978.
Victoria's construction industry has been linked to 403 Covid-19 cases prompting shut down
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has shut down the state's construction industry after it was revealed 403 Covid-19 cases have been linked to the sector. There are now 300,000 tradies out of work for two weeks following the shut down announced late on Monday night with hundreds taking to the streets of Melbourne to protest outside construction union CFMEU's office. The state's health minister Martin Foley said that the hundreds of cases found within the industry have been recorded across 186 construction sites.
Covid-19 Australia: ACT boosts funding to mental health services as 16 new Covid cases are recorded
ACT Chief Minister announced extra $14million to boost mental health services Includes support for people with eating disorders, alcohol and drug services The increase in funding will also assist Indigenous and social housing residents Canberra recorded 16 cases with lockdown scheduled to run until October 15
Covid-19 has now killed as many Americans as the 1918-19 flu pandemic
Covid-19 has now killed as many Americans as the 1918-19 flu pandemic, with more than 675,000 reported deaths. The US population a century ago was just a third of what it is today, meaning the flu cut a much bigger, more lethal swath through the country. But the Covid-19 crisis is by any measure a colossal tragedy in its own right, especially given major advances in scientific knowledge and the failure to take maximum advantage of vaccines. Unlike a century ago, vaccines have been made widely available. However, an extensive reticence to be inoculated, fueled in part by baseless fears about safety and efficacy, means that 36% of people in the US aged 12 and over have yet to be fully vaccinated, according to data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Covid-19: NI health service 'will topple over' without action
Northern Ireland's health service is "about to topple over" if immediate action is not taken, the deputy first minister has said. Michelle O'Neill said staff were "facing into a very difficult winter" under current pressures. She met staff at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast on Tuesday along with First Minister Paul Givan. They both said they wanted to avoid any further lockdowns or "circuit breakers".
UK’s wider Covid-19 death toll passes 160,000
More than 160,000 people in the UK have had Covid-19 recorded on their death certificate, new figures show. The total was passed on September 7, but has only now been confirmed due to the time it takes for deaths to be registered. The figures, which have been published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), show that 160,374 deaths involving coronavirus have occurred in the UK since the pandemic began. This includes all deaths where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, including suspected cases.
New Lockdown
Chinese city orders spas, mahjong salons to shut after COVID-19 case confirmed
Spas, cinemas and mahjong salons in the Chinese city of Harbin were ordered to close on Tuesday to prevent COVID-19 spreading in poorly ventilated spaces, state television reported.
Ukraine tightens COVID-19 lockdown restrictions from Sept 23...
A Ukrainian government commission decided on Tuesday to tighten coronavirus lockdown restrictions from Sept. 23 as the number of new infections has increased sharply, Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said. Ukraine lifted lockdown restrictions as cases dropped over the summer but has now imposed a nationwide "yellow" code which restricts mass events and limits the occupancy rates of gyms, cinemas and other culture venues.